City leaders and organizations across the country are making ambitious commitments to decarbonize electricity and support the transition toward a 100% renewable energy future. But how will they reach these goals? What are the right steps to take along the path to 100% renewable energy? The process of decarbonization is challenging. Grid operators must balance affordability and reliability as more renewable energy comes online. Utilities must find the right mix of energy resources to decarbonize, while planning for extreme weather events. Meanwhile, the call to increase renewable energy and take bold action on climate change grows louder every day.
During the Smart Cities Connect Virtual Conference and Expo in April, a panel discussion Step-By-Step: How Cities Can Forge A Path To 100% Renewable Energy, moderated by Market Development Manager at Wärtsilä, Jim Maynard connected attendees with a couple of subject matter experts. David Millar is a Path to 100% Community Expert and Director of Resource Planning Consultant at Ascend Analytics and Rob McGarrah is the General Manager of Electric and Gas Utility for the City of Tallahassee, Florida. These experts shared case studies from Florida and California to demonstrate how the cities in each of these states are continuing to reach renewable energy goals.